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happy_hiker's review against another edition
2.0
Ho-hum. Nothing about this book was compelling or memorable. I had a two week interruption in listening at which point I couldn’t remember the name of the master conspirator. And by the time I got back into it, I really didn't care too much about what happened to the characters. I have had interrupted reading/listening with other books, and have been able to/been excited about picking the book up again, but this wasn't the case here. I know this was one of the author’s early efforts, and even he had a disclaimer about it not being that great. I really like the Myron Bolitar novels better. I wish I could give this 1.5 stars.
fat_girl_fiction's review against another edition
3.0
I needed to read a book that I knew I would rip through in next to know time. My go to author for a quick read is Harlan Coben. I picked Miracle Cure as a book I known I hadn't read and settled down to be swept off into a world of mystery, suspense and conspiracy.
This novel features bright, beautiful Sara Lowell, an up and coming news reporter who is married to Michael Silverman a brilliant basketball player. As always with Coben's characters, if they're not childhood sweethearts they're almost perfect. They can't just be a regular journalist and basketball player they have to be the best, and they've all overcome adversity in some way to become these amazing people. Maybe the author wants us to aspire to be like them but I just feel that they're so unrealistic you can't relate to them. Although Michael Silverman's fame is key to the plot.
The story centres around an AIDS clinic working towards a cure for the virus. When several of it's patients suddenly get murdered after being cured, the police are brought into investigate.
Obviously this is a very simple and brief synopsis. There are several twists and turns, lots of intriguing characters and the fact that I read this book in 24 hours is testament to how easy it is to read and how much 'pull' it has to keep the reader invested page after page.
Coben doesn't dumb down his audience either. The science is explained well and thoroughly, but you only know what you need to know, he doesn't overload you with scientific material.
Overall, a great read, but I worked out who the culprit was before the end of the book, and I like to be surprised. However, this has given me a hunger to read and write, which was just what the doctor ordered.
This novel features bright, beautiful Sara Lowell, an up and coming news reporter who is married to Michael Silverman a brilliant basketball player. As always with Coben's characters, if they're not childhood sweethearts they're almost perfect. They can't just be a regular journalist and basketball player they have to be the best, and they've all overcome adversity in some way to become these amazing people. Maybe the author wants us to aspire to be like them but I just feel that they're so unrealistic you can't relate to them. Although Michael Silverman's fame is key to the plot.
The story centres around an AIDS clinic working towards a cure for the virus. When several of it's patients suddenly get murdered after being cured, the police are brought into investigate.
Obviously this is a very simple and brief synopsis. There are several twists and turns, lots of intriguing characters and the fact that I read this book in 24 hours is testament to how easy it is to read and how much 'pull' it has to keep the reader invested page after page.
Coben doesn't dumb down his audience either. The science is explained well and thoroughly, but you only know what you need to know, he doesn't overload you with scientific material.
Overall, a great read, but I worked out who the culprit was before the end of the book, and I like to be surprised. However, this has given me a hunger to read and write, which was just what the doctor ordered.
jjujube's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rfwads's review against another edition
4.0
Has a cure for AIDS been found? Several patients at the Sidney Pavillion clinic are testing negative to a virus they once tested positive for. Dr. Bruce Grey and Dr. Harvey Riker, the clinic's doctors, are ecstatic. They want to release their findings to the public, in hopes of getting more funding, however, "fate" has other plans. As they start planning to release results, Dr. Bruce Grey commits suicide, and patients of the clinic are being murdered. Are the killings happening because the victims were gay? Were they random kills? Or does it have something to do with the clinic?
Meanwhile, Michael Silverman, a basketball player for the Knicks, is complaining of stomach pains. Sara, a TV journalist, and wife of Michael ask Dr. Harvey Ricker to check up on Michael. After running tests, it becomes clear that Michael has AIDS and immediately becomes a patient of the clinic. Before he can start treatment, Michael is kidnapped. Is this the work of the killer? Or is someone else behind the kidnapping? A lot of people are against the clinic, including some very powerful people, could they be behind the killings and kidnapping?
3.5 stars...but since Goodreads doesn't do half stars, I'm going to round to four!! I actually really liked this book. It was well written and I was shocked to find out that this book was one of Harlan Coben's first books he ever wrote. I found Sara, Michael, and Max to be very likable and would love to read more stories on them!! I also was shocked by the ending. Harlan did a great job of throwing curveballs at the readers, that I didn't see the ending turning out as it did. Overall I really liked the book. The only reason that I rated it a 3.5 was because it wasn't his best work and it wasn't an OMG I have to tell everyone about this book. I would still highly recommend it to Harlan Coben fans!! :)
Meanwhile, Michael Silverman, a basketball player for the Knicks, is complaining of stomach pains. Sara, a TV journalist, and wife of Michael ask Dr. Harvey Ricker to check up on Michael. After running tests, it becomes clear that Michael has AIDS and immediately becomes a patient of the clinic. Before he can start treatment, Michael is kidnapped. Is this the work of the killer? Or is someone else behind the kidnapping? A lot of people are against the clinic, including some very powerful people, could they be behind the killings and kidnapping?
3.5 stars...but since Goodreads doesn't do half stars, I'm going to round to four!! I actually really liked this book. It was well written and I was shocked to find out that this book was one of Harlan Coben's first books he ever wrote. I found Sara, Michael, and Max to be very likable and would love to read more stories on them!! I also was shocked by the ending. Harlan did a great job of throwing curveballs at the readers, that I didn't see the ending turning out as it did. Overall I really liked the book. The only reason that I rated it a 3.5 was because it wasn't his best work and it wasn't an OMG I have to tell everyone about this book. I would still highly recommend it to Harlan Coben fans!! :)
susan379's review against another edition
3.0
Good convoluted murder mystery with an ending you wouldn’t guess
ruth_tries_to_read's review against another edition
4.0
This book made me realize that I will never be a good detective. I'm always always near to guessing the bad guy, but I always waver and accuse another, and at the end I'll just regret changing my bad guy. So.. what a bummer am I?